To prevent unauthorized use, gadget manufacturers often allow users to put passcodes. Now, users get locked out of the gadget if they input the wrong passcode several times; this is to protect them from thieves and those who just want to steal data from their phone.

But one mother in China has been locked out of her iPhone for 47 years after her toddler inputted the wrong passcode too many times! Oooops.

The woman, only identified to be surnamed Lu, left her iPhone with her 2-year-old son to watch educational shows while she went out for a while. But when she got back, she discovered that she has been locked out of the phone for 25 million minutes which is equivalent to 47 years.

It turned out the boy had accidentally activated the phone’s security system but because he kept inputting the wrong passcode, the phone kept changing the length of time it becomes locked.

At first, Lu tried to just wait it out as she thought the phone just might change the date and correct itself but when the time deducted only corresponded to the days she waited for the phone to get fixed on its own, she knew she had to bring it to a technician.

Technician Wei Chunlong at the Apple Store in Shanghai advised Lu to just have the phone reset but she would lose all data saved there if she doesn’t have a back-up; unfortunately, she didn’t have back-up but couldn’t also wait 47 years before she could use her phone again.

Left with no choice, she had the phone reset to factory settings.

Photo credit: Apple Support

“Guess I’ve got no choice and have to format the device! I really don’t want to do so but I can’t wait that long. Am I supposed to show this phone to my grandchildren next time and tell them this was what their father did? In another 47 years, I probably can’t even play on my phone!” Lu said. LOL. Poor lady.

But she’s learned her lesson now – and hopefully, she wouldn’t leave her toddler alone in the house from now on!